clamshell

noun

clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
1
: the shell of a clam
2
a
: a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws
b
: an excavating machine having a clamshell
c
: either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other
d
: a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam

Examples of clamshell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The wraps were sold under the brand names Big Y Quick Easy Meals and Market 32 by Price Chopper. (iStock) Both items come in a 10-ounce clear plastic clamshell package with a sell-by date of May 7 and the lot code of 25122. Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2025 The products were contained in clamshell packages and several bulk packaging sizes. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025 Back in the original clamshell packaging or container is fine. Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2025 Although many OEMs saw double- and triple-digit growth, the market’s overall growth was impacted by Samsung’s tough Q4 due to political instability, and OPPO cutting production of its more affordable clamshell foldables. Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clamshell

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of clamshell was circa 1520

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Cite this Entry

“Clamshell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clamshell. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

clamshell

noun
clam·​shell ˈklam-ˌshel How to pronounce clamshell (audio)
: the shell of a clam

More from Merriam-Webster on clamshell

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